Interview: Bobcats' Draft Pick Cody Zeller Talks Playing His Brothers in the NBA and His Struggles With Sitting in Coach

Indiana Hoosier basketball fans don't mess around. On the morning of the 2013 NBA Draft, a contingent of Hoosier faithful waited to see Indy native Cody Zeller make an appearance at the LIDS store in Times Square, before it was even open. In one of the more surprising selections of last night, Michael Jordan's Charlotte Bobcats took Zeller with the 4th overall pick, ahead of higher ranked prospects, like Nerlens Noel and Ben McLemore.

We caught up with Cody at LIDS to discuss his family rivalry with brothers and now fellow NBA players Tyler and Luke, and his recent troubles while flying in coach.

It’s finally Draft Day. What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?

I’m excited. Not nervous at all. Pretty relaxed. I’ve done all these workouts and interviews and everything, but at this point, I don’t have any control over it anymore.

So you feel as prepared as you’re ever going to be.

Yeah, definitely. I can’t do anything else about it, so I’ll just see how it plays out.

Your two older brothers, Tyler and Luke, have seen action in the NBA. As the youngest of the Zeller trio, what have they told you about the draft process and your upcoming rookie season?

Not a whole lot. They just told me to enjoy it all. I’m close to both of them, so I’m always asking a lot of questions to both of them. They just talked about how long the season was, and I think that’ll be the biggest adjustment for me.

We’re all definitely very competitive, so we were making everything into a competition, whether it was basketball or anything else.

Have they given you any advice about day-to-day NBA life and how to handle it? You're traveling a lot, in a lot of different cities, you've got a little money, there's constant attention…

Not too much. Just 82 games, it wears on you mentally and physically.

Do you think that your body is ready to adjust to a longer schedule?

Yeah, I think so, especially with how good these organizations are. Your body is a big deal, so they give you all the best.

Growing up, what kind of brothers were they to you? Overbearing? Mean? Competitive? What was it like around the Zeller household?

We’re all definitely very competitive, so we were making everything into a competition, whether it was basketball or anything else.

Who won the one-on-one games in the backyard growing up?

I was always younger, so I was always getting my butt kicked.

What about now? Do you think you could beat both of them?

It’d be close, but yeah.

Are you looking forward to playing against Tyler or Luke next season? What's the strategy if you get matched up against him in the post?

I think all of us will have our scouting reports down pretty well. But it’ll be fun. It’ll be different playing against them, with a lot of fans watching. Usually it’s just us, alone in the gym or whatever.

You probably could've came out last year, the same year as your brother, and been a lottery pick. Why'd you return to Indiana for a sophomore season?

I just enjoyed my college experience at Indiana. I wasn’t ready to grow up after my freshman year. I wouldn’t trade that extra year for anything.

Why did you feel like this was a good time to leave and go to the NBA?

I’m very close to getting my degree after two years. We had a great year this past season, and we’re losing a lot of pieces, but I felt like it was the right time for me.

Is getting your degree something you see as important to yourself?

Yeah definitely. I was in the Kelly School of Business as a Business Management major, so that’s definitely something I want to do.

Overall, how would you describe your playing style?

I think my quickness and athleticism for a big guy is unique, and I’m going to bring in a good work ethic. It’s what I always pride myself on. I think that’ll help a lot of teams.

She was trying to recline. She hit my knees, turned around and gave me a dirty look. I was like, "What am I supposed to do?" I can’t help it.

Are there any NBA players past or present that you’d like to emulate?

Not too much. I’ve always watched different teams and stuff, but not really.

Did you idolize any particular players growing up? Indiana’s own Larry Bird?

Not too much, nah. I never really liked one guy or anything.

What areas of your game have you honed in on to improve?

Just getting bigger and stronger. The guys in the NBA are so big and strong. That’ll be the biggest adjustment for me. I think I’ll do alright.

Speaking of size, you recently tweeted that you had some problems with a woman on a plane. She was trying to recline her chair back on you. How did that go?

She was actually upset with me because I can hardly fit behind the seat. She was trying to recline. She hit my knees, turned around and gave me a dirty look. I was like, "What am I supposed to do?" I can’t help it. [Laughs.]

As a seven footer, is flying just the worst experience for you?

Eh, it’s not too bad. I’m pretty easygoing, I don’t get upset about anything. So I don’t really mind it.